History from Moses to Jesus I
Israel Becomes a Nation
After Jacob’s victory, he is given a new name: Israel. The man Israel had established the foundation for the messiah and thus, Jesus will be born in the “House of Israel.” However, though the foundation for the messiah was accomplished by Jacob, the messiah does not appear until 2000 years later. Instead, God sends Moses to lead the tribes of Israel toward the ideal of building a nation. Now the nation of Israel, the Israelites will move toward blessing or curse contingent on their adherence to the laws, decrees and commandments of God.